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Downtown Lyrics
When you're alone, and life is making you lonely
You can always go
Downtown
When you've got worries, all the noise and hurry
Seems to help, I know
Downtown
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city,
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose? The lights are much brighter there...
You can forget all your troubles; forget all your cares, and go
Downtown -- things will be great when you're
Downtown -- you'll find a place for sure
Downtown -- everything's waiting for you
Downtown .... Downtown...
Don't hang around, and let your problems surround you,
There are movie shows
Downtown
Maybe you know some little places to go to
Where they never close
Downtown
Just listen to the rhythm of a gentle Bossa Nova
You'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over,
Happy again...
The lights are much brighter there,
You can forget all your troubles; forget all your cares, and go
Downtown -- where all the lights are bright
Downtown -- waiting for you tonight
Downtown -- you're gonna be all right now...
Downtown...Downtown...Downtown...
Downtown!
Downtown!
And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you;
Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to
Guide them along...
So maybe I'll see you there,
We can forget all our troubles; forget all our cares, and go
Downtown -- things will be great when you're
Downtown -- don't wait a minute more
Downtown -- everything's waiting for you...
Downtown...Downtown
Downtown...Downtown
Downtown...Downtown
Downtown...Downtown
Downtown...Downtown (fade)
You can always go
Downtown
Seems to help, I know
Downtown
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose? The lights are much brighter there...
You can forget all your troubles; forget all your cares, and go
Downtown -- things will be great when you're
Downtown -- you'll find a place for sure
Downtown -- everything's waiting for you
There are movie shows
Downtown
Where they never close
Downtown
You'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over,
Happy again...
The lights are much brighter there,
You can forget all your troubles; forget all your cares, and go
Downtown -- where all the lights are bright
Downtown -- waiting for you tonight
Downtown -- you're gonna be all right now...
Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to
Guide them along...
So maybe I'll see you there,
We can forget all our troubles; forget all our cares, and go
Downtown -- things will be great when you're
Downtown -- don't wait a minute more
Downtown -- everything's waiting for you...
Downtown...Downtown
Downtown...Downtown
Downtown...Downtown
Downtown...Downtown (fade)
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this song is about how great downtown is lol
You can hear Kate saying "Yeah! All right!" just before the music begins.
This song was originally written for, and made famous by, Petula Clark, in 1964. It's a really odd song, with a sound sort of halfway between big-band and rock despite being mostly played by a string orchestra. Clark's label had no idea what to do with it, but their American licensor loved it and pushed it hard, and it went to #1 on the charts.
I don't know if the songwriters have ever spoken about what it's about, but Petula described it as a small-town Brit's fantasy idea of what New York City must be like.
It had a brief resurgence in popularity when Petula Clark did a disco version of the song, which may be where the B-52s first got interested in it—but at some point they definitely discovered the original. Kate has talked about the string arrangement, and even things like the French lyrics in "Dans le Temps" (a loosely-translated version Petula released in Quebec in 1965).